`[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 244 (Thursday, December 19, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 103698-103700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30247]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 240227-0061; RTID 0648-XE542]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Inseason 
Adjustment to the 2025 Gulf of Alaska Pollock and Pacific Cod Total 
Allowable Catch Amounts

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is adjusting the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) amounts 
for the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) pollock and Pacific cod fisheries. This 
action is necessary because NMFS has determined these TACs are 
incorrectly specified, as they are not informed by the most recent 
specifications recommended by the Council for the start of the 2025 
fishing year. This action will ensure the GOA pollock and Pacific cod 
TACs are the correct, appropriate amount based on the best scientific 
information available for pollock and Pacific cod in the GOA. This 
action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery 
Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP).

DATES: Effective 0001 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), January 1, 
2025, until the effective date of the final 2025 and 2026 harvest 
specifications for GOA groundfish, unless otherwise modified or 
superseded through publication of a notification in the Federal 
Register.
    Comments must be received at the following address no later than 
4:30 p.m., A.l.t., January 3, 2025.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
docket number NOAA-NMFS-2023-0133 by any of the following methods:
    Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via 
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and 
enter NOAA-NMFS-2023-0133 in the Search box. Click on the ``Comment'' 
icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
    Mail: Submit written comments to Gretchen Harrington, Assistant 
Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region 
NMFS. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
https://www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Abby Jahn, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
GOA exclusive economic zone according to the FMP prepared by the North 
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) under authority of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act). Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in 
accordance with the FMP appear at 50 CFR part 679 and at subpart H of 
50 CFR part 600.
    The final 2024 and 2025 harvest specifications for groundfish in 
the GOA (89 FR 15484, March 4, 2024) set the 2025 pollock TAC at 
163,494 metric tons (mt) in the GOA. In December 2024, the Council 
recommended a 2025 pollock TAC of 186,245 mt for the GOA, which is 
greater than the 163,494 mt established by the final 2024 and 2025 
harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA. The Council's 
recommended 2025 TACs and the area and seasonal apportionments are 
based on the Science and Statistical Committee's (SSC's) overfishing 
limit (OFL) and allowable biological catch (ABC) recommendations. The 
SSC recommendations are informed by the Groundfish Plan Team's 
recommended OFLs and ABCs as well as a review of the Stock Assessment 
and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report dated November 2024.
    The final 2024 and 2025 harvest specifications for groundfish in 
the GOA set the 2025 Pacific cod TAC at 20,757 mt in the GOA. In 
December 2024, the Council recommended a 2025 Pacific cod TAC of 23,670 
mt for the GOA, which is greater than the 20,757 mt established by the 
final 2024 and 2025 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA. 
The Council's recommended 2025 TACs and the area and seasonal 
apportionments are based on the SSC's OFL and ABC recommendations. The 
SSC recommendations are informed by the Groundfish Plan Team's 
recommended OFLs and ABCs as well as a review of the SAFE report dated 
November 2024.
    Steller sea lions occur in the same location as the pollock and 
Pacific cod fisheries and are listed as endangered under the Endangered 
Species Act. Pollock and Pacific cod are principal prey species for 
Steller sea lions in the GOA. The seasonal apportionment of pollock and 
Pacific cod harvests are necessary to ensure the groundfish fisheries 
are not likely to cause jeopardy of extinction or adverse modification 
of critical habitat for Steller sea lions. The regulations at Sec.  
679.20(a)(5)(iv) specify how the pollock TAC will be apportioned and 
the regulations at Sec.  679.20(a)(6)(ii) and (a)(12)(i) specify how 
the Pacific cod TAC will be apportioned.
    In accordance with Sec.  679.25(a)(1)(iii), (a)(2)(i)(B), and 
(a)(2)(iv) the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional 
Administrator), has determined that, based on the best scientific 
information available for this fishery, the current GOA pollock and 
Pacific cod TACs are incorrectly specified, as they are not using the 
most recent data available. Consequently, pursuant to Sec.  679.25(a) 
the Regional Administrator is adjusting the 2025 GOA pollock TAC to 
186,245 mt and the 2025 Pacific cod TAC to 23,670 mt. Therefore, tables 
4 and 6 of the final 2024 and 2025 harvest specifications for 
groundfish in the GOA are revised consistent with this adjustment.
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iv), table 4 of the final 2024 and 
2025 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA is revised for 
the 2025 TACs of pollock in the Central and Western Regulatory Area of 
the GOA.

[[Page 103699]]



 Table 4--Final 2025 Distribution of Pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the Gulf of Alaska;
                           Area Apportionments; and Seasonal Allowances of Annual TAC
                                 [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
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                                                  Shumigan (Area  Chirikof (Area   Kodiak (Area
                   Season \1\                          610)            620)            630)          Total \2\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A (January 20-May 31)...........................           5,589          63,267          16,751          85,607
B (September 1-November 1)......................          31,755          18,998          34,854          85,607
Annual Total....................................          37,344          82,265          51,605         171,214
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\1\ As established by Sec.   679.23(d)(2)(i) through (ii), the A and B season allowances are available from
  January 20 through May 31 and September 1 through November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for
  processing by the inshore and offshore components are not shown in this table.
\2\ The West Yakutat and Southeast Outside District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not
  included in the total pollock TACs shown in this table.

    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(6)(ii) and (a)(12)(i), table 6 of the 
final 2024 and 2025 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA is 
revised for the 2025 TACs of Pacific cod in the GOA.

 Table 6--Final 2025 Seasonal Apportionments and Allocation of Pacific Cod Total Allowable Catch Amounts in the GOA; Allocations in the Western GOA and
                                   Central GOA Sectors, and the Eastern GOA Inshore and Offshore Processing Components
                                                     [Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
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                                                                                            A Season                              B Season
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                Regulatory area and sector                 Annual allocation  Sector percentage                     Sector percentage
                                                                  (mt)        of annual non-jig       Seasonal      of annual non-jig       Seasonal
                                                                                     TAC          allowances (mt)          TAC          allowances (mt)
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Western GOA:
    Jig (3.5% of TAC)....................................                213                n/a                128                n/a                 85
    Hook-and-line CV.....................................                 82                0.7                 41                0.7                 41
    Hook-and-line CP.....................................              1,165               10.9                641                8.9                524
    Trawl CV.............................................              2,259              31.54              1,856               6.86                404
    Trawl CP.............................................                141                0.9                 53                1.5                 88
    All Pot CV and Pot CP................................              2,236               19.8              1,165               18.2              1,071
                                                          ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Total............................................              6,097              63.84              3,884               36.1              2,213
Central GOA:
    Jig (3% of TAC)......................................                461                n/a                277                n/a                185
    Hook-and-line <50 CV.................................              2,178               9.32              1,390               5.29                789
    Hook-and-line >=50 CV................................              1,000               5.61                837                1.1                164
    Hook-and-line CP.....................................                761               4.11                613             0.9975                149
    Trawl CV \1\.........................................              6,203              25.29              3,773              16.29              2,430
    Trawl CP.............................................                626                  2                299               2.19                327
    All Pot CV and Pot CP................................              4,148              17.83              2,660               9.98              1,488
                                                          ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Total............................................             15,379              64.16              9,848              35.84              5,531
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Eastern GOA..............................................  .................       Inshore (90% of Annual TAC)
                                                               Offshore (10% of Annual TAC)
                                                                             ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total................................................              2,194                        1,975
                                                                                   219
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\1\ Trawl catcher vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives receive 3.81 percent, or 586 mt, of the annual Central GOA TAC (see table 28c
  to 50 CFR part 679), which is deducted from the Trawl CV B season allowance. This inseason adjustment updates the apportionment found in table 13 of
  the 2024 and 2025 harvest specifications (i.e., Final 2025 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA).

Classification

    NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR part 679, which was 
issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempt from review under 
Executive Order 12866.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior 
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice 
and comment would be impracticable and contrary to the public interest, 
as it would prevent NMFS from responding to the most recent fisheries 
data in a timely fashion, and would allow for harvests that exceed the 
appropriate allocation for pollock and Pacific cod based on the best 
scientific information available. NMFS was unable to publish a notice 
providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant 
data only became available as of December 13, 2024.

[[Page 103700]]

    Without this inseason adjustment, NMFS could not allow the fishery 
for pollock and Pacific cod in the GOA to be harvested in an expedient 
manner and in accordance with the regulatory schedule. Under Sec.  
679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
on this action to the above address until January 3, 2025.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: December 16, 2024.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-30247 Filed 12-16-24; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P`